What friends are for
by Little Miss Defensive
Summary: Will finds Helen in a bit of a mess. He does what he can to help. Helen/Will


**Authors Note: **I've just finished watching all that is available of Sanctuary and I'm absolutely in love with the show. 3 I couldn't resist writing this piece. It's not really got much substance. I don't think there are any spoilers - but it does talk about Helen/John, and it's definitely Helen/Will. xO Let me know what you think.

..

Will pushed open the door to the infirmary and before he could fully comprehend what he was seeing he automatically turned back to face the now closing door. Magnus was sitting on the edge of a cot in her bra, her blouse lay on the floor at her feet. He hadn't seen much, just a glimpse but he felt a blush rise to his cheeks.

"Sorry Magnus, I didn't..." He trailed off and mentally smacked himself in the head. "I'll leave." He put his hand on the door handle ready to leave, but her voice stopped him.

"Actually... Will. I could do with a hand - if you have the time." He didn't turn around for a moment giving her time to get decent. He closed his eyes. Had she put her blouse back on? Surely she would have by now... "Will...?" She prompted. He opened his eyes and turned around but lowered his eyes to her legs when he realised she was still blouse-less. Wow, her skirt was hiked up because of the way she was sitting on the cot, and her long lithe legs were dangling over the side, her high heels sitting to the side. "Oh, Will." She said, a little bit impatient this time. "Please just look me in the eyes." He quickly flicked his gaze up to her blue eyes.

"Sorry," he muttered uncomfortably. "When did you get back?"

"Just a short while ago." She said softly. "I've been injured, but I'm struggling to dress the wound myself." She gestured to a large gash on her side just below her left breast. It oozed blood, and he felt ashamed of being worried about her being topless when she was injured like that.

"Oh, Magnus." This time he was the one speaking in soft tones. He picked up the gauze she had discarded (probably in frustration) on the cot next to her. He folded it neatly and held it over the wound. She hissed quietly in pain, and he grimaced. "How did it happen? I don't even know where you were. The Big Guy just told me you were going away." She sighed, but didn't respond. He pulled the gauze away but the wound was still bleeding.

"Oh dear," she commented. looking down at the blood now moving more freely down her side. He then noticed that she had bruises across that entire side of her ribcage, and a dark handprint on her left wrist and a bruise underneath her jaw on her right side.

"Magnus... What in the hell happened to you?" She looked up seemingly startled.

"Now is not the time, nor the place to discuss this." She said dismissively. He frowned, but could see they had more pressing matters.

"Should I stitch it for you?"

"That would be helpful. Do you know where to find the local anaesthetic?"

"Yes," he helped her lie back on the cot, and tried not to worry about the way her face seemed to be getting paler by the second. He rushed around the room gathering the things he would need to stitch her up, and injected the local anaesthetic into her side and tried to ignore the way her face contorted in pain. "Do you have any other injuries that need to be tended to?" He asked, trying to distract her as he began to pull the skin together and put the needle through her skin. She looked up at the ceiling but said nothing, and he paused for a moment to make sure she was still breathing.

"No," she finally answered him, flicking her eyes only briefly to his before returning to stare at the ceiling.

He finished up, cleaned around the wound and then taped a gauze pad into place. Without thinking he brushed his hand over her bruised ribs. She moved away from his touch and turned intense eyes onto his. "Thank you, Will." He looked down but found his eyes on his bosses breasts, so he raised his eyes back to her face.

"That's alright. Are you okay?" He bent down and picked up her blouse. He didn't ask if she needed help, just did it. She stood still letting him button the blouse for her, staring blankly over his shoulder. It frightened him to see his normally together boss like this - totally out of it. His fingertips brushed her breasts as he reached the top of her blouse. He nearly gasped aloud, but realised how inappropriate it was for him to be lusting after his boss in the first place - let alone making it known to her.

"I'm fine," he tried to remember whether he'd asked her how she was and realised he had, but before he'd even started putting her blouse back on. She seemed to have very delayed responses.

"You seem... I think maybe you should stay here tonight." His boss grabbed onto his wrist so suddenly and tightly that he felt himself flinch, she held him in a crushing grip.

"I can't, he will find me." Her pupils seem to be dilated, and he moved his face closer to hers.

"Let me go, Magnus." He told her firmly. She looked down at her hand around his wrist, her knuckles white with the pressure.

"Oh," she let out a small noise and let him go.

"Can you sit back down for a moment?" She obeyed without saying anything, her eyes found his.

"You think I'm crazy?" She asked.

"No actually, I don't." He gently let his fingers run over head until he found what he was looking for. "You have a head injury." He rummaged through the freezer until he found an icepack and he sat on the cot next to her placing the ice pack on her head. They sat in silence for a while, but she broke it first.

"It was John." She said simply, and he watched a large tear escape one of her eyes.

"He... did this to you?" Tesla had once told Will that no matter how evil John could be, he would never purposely hurt Helen. Then what the hell happened here? She shrugged, but winced.

"That ice pack feels good." She leaned into it a little, and her knee brushed his. "Thank you." She told him, smiling. "I'm sorry I lost it a little before. I'm feeling much better." He doubted she was feeling _'much better' _but didn't disagree - he didn't need to make matters worse. Plus he didn't trust his voice, he could feel rage bubbling just below the surface. How could John do this to her? What could Magnus have possibly done to anger him so much? He pulled the ice pack away when he felt he had held it long enough. She stood up and cautiously bent a little to brush off her skirt and straighten her blouse. She checked her reflection in the glass door and flattened her hair a little, smiling at his reflection standing behind her shoulder.

"I'll walk you to your room." Will said quietly, pushing the anger towards John to the side for the moment.

"That's not necessary." She told him, and he watched her push the door open and stride down the hallway towards the lifts. He shook his head, and returned the infirmary to clean up. If he could track down John he was going to drain every last drop of blood out of the evil bastard.

..

Later that night he found himself lying awake staring at the ceiling above his bed. His thoughts were circling... Kill John, check on Magnus... Kill John... He hadn't checked on her. She wasn't really the kind who enjoyed molly-coddling. But he checked the digits on his alarm clock, 12.04am and he sighed. He could just check her office and make sure she hadn't snuck down to work like she often did when she should be sleeping. He padded barefoot down the hallway in his pajama bottoms. The door to her office was open a crack and the light on. He knocked quietly but didn't hear any response so he peeked around the doorway. She was sitting huddled into the end of her couch, her arms wrapped around her legs. He strode towards her his forehead creased in concern. Her eyes followed his movements but she said nothing.

"I don't understand why I'm being so bloody emotional about this." She sighed. "It's not the first time." He reached her and sat down resting his hand on one of her knees.

"That makes me very angry." He told her. She searched his eyes for something.

"You wouldn't understand..."

"Don't say because I'm too young." She went quiet for a moment, her eyes wandering the room.

"It's not that." She said finally. "It's more that I could never explain the relationship between John and I." He scoffed angrily, but didn't want to argue.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" He changed the topic instead.

"I couldn't sleep," she shrugged. He looked at her posture.

"You're frightened." He stated. She looked up sharply.

"I am not frightened."

"I'm a psychologist, Magnus. Don't try and fool me. Truth, remember?" She looked down, her knees must have suddenly become fascinating because she didn't look up for some time. When she did he saw tears glistening in her eyes.

"Will you walk me up the stairs?" He could tell it pained her to ask. He let go of her knee and stood, leaving a hand outstretched to help her to her feet. She struggled into a sitting position and grimaced.

"Just... a... sec." She panted, obviously the pain in her ribs had worsened. He tried to figure a way around having her walk the stairs to her bedroom. The lift didn't go that high. Suddenly it came clear to him, but he didn't think she was going to like it.

"Put your arms around my neck Helen," he found himself uttering her first name which he didn't find himself doing very often. She looked like she was going to say no, but when he crouched to her level and looked her in the eyes, keeping his face intense the way she does to him when she needs him to listen. "Please." He said. She gingerly lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck. He gently raised her from the couch and into his arms, he cradled her against his chest. She wasn't as heavy as he expected, or maybe he underestimated his strength. It would still be a struggle up the stairs - but he had adrenaline (thanks to his anger at John) on his side. She tucked her head into his shoulder, and he tried not to enjoy the sensations of having her body pressing against his. _'Your boss_,' he kept reminding himself.

By the time they reached her room he had started a steady mantra in his head 'your boss, your boss,' because every step her breasts would bounce and her warm body would rub against his. He even swore at one point he felt her lips against his neck... but then he must have imagined it - why would Helen Magnus, THE Helen Magnus kiss him? He nearly laughed aloud at the thought. With great difficulty he managed to open the door and gently place her down on her bed. He removed her shoes but didn't dare remove her clothes. She tucked herself into a ball and turned her back on him. He reached down and grabbed the mink blanket from the end of her bed and placed it over her.

"Do me a favour, Will?" He heard her say as he turned to leave.

"Yes?"

"Switch the light off and come here."

"W-what?" He stuttered. She turned a little to face him.

"Don't leave me tonight, please. As my friend - stay with me." He didn't answer but switched the light off and stumbled across the room in the dark. He pulled the mink blanket aside, curled in behind her and pulled the blanket back over them both. He could smell her perfume, and he could feel her tense body. He gently rubbed his hand over her back.

"It's okay, you're safe." He whispered. "You're safe," he repeated. He kept muttering reassuring words to her, and eventually he felt her relax.

"I'm sorry for putting you in this position," Magnus told him.

"It's alright," he told her. Though he didn't think it was the best thing to happen - not with the way he felt about her. It was quite frustrating and he was worried to let how aroused his boss could make him show - how could he hide it when he was laying in bed with her? He tried his best not to think about her body as he stroked her back, and then down her arm gently careful not to brush the bruises on her wrist.

"I know you must feel very uncomfortable." She told him. She turned a little, a slight smirk on her face that surprised him. "And I know in a way I'm taunting you." He was glad for the dark to hide his blush.

"Sleep well Helen," he told her.

"I will now you're here." She turned her head and kissed him full on the lips. He was too stunned to respond and by the time he thought about it she had turned around and snuggled against him with her eyes closed. It took him a long while to get to sleep that night.

**The End.**


End file.
